 Poster: A snowHead
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It's that time of year (well bit late) where I try to find a trip for 7 inc a 5 & 3 yr old and a 39 year old who has the apres stamina of a 19 year old, a knackered ski mummy who likes big pistage and 3 boarders who pretty much always want first tracks and off piste courses so ski in / out is good. Complicated this year by an expat who needs to be back at her desk in Singapore at 9am on Monday 12th Jan.
In previous years, we've booked the family element first and others have just found accom in same resort but thought this year it might be nice to have a trip together, not at opposite ends of town! Can anyone recommend any tour ops / chalets that might work? Not too fussed on country in Europe but it needs to be a fairly large resort to cope with so many demands I think. Short (under 2 hrs) transfers always a bonus and we wouldn't be adverse to considering the snow train.
Over to the collective wisdom of our beloved Snowheads x[/code]
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Try Family Friendly Skiing in La Tania (or one of the other Family type operators in la Tania or Courchevel) as that sorts your childcare as well, two of their chalets are now sat-sat. 2 - 2.5 hrs from Geneva. Chalets are virtually on piste on max 30m-50m away. Courchevel valley and 3v great for endless miles of piste cruising, and great for off piste too. I'm in a similar setup boarding, with skiing wife and similar age kids and Courchevel/La Tania works well.
It's not epic apres in La Tania itself though you've got the ski lodge which has does have apres but is usually more lively at night with have bands and theme nights etc where it can be heaving. But you've also got main Courchevel, or of course Folie Douche in Meribel over the hill if you want more full on apres. La Tania is two lifts to the top to drop into Meribel. From Folie you can ski down and you are one lift from getting over the top back to La tania, or you can get the bus (but keep you're eye on the time for last lift/bus  )
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Um, it appears you are going on the first full week in January ie the week after New Year and you want "Bonkers Apre" I think you are limited to Austria. Most of the rest Europe will be very quiet which is great for those of us who want to ski, but not so good for those who prefer Ibiza.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thank you Gazzza, I've sent an enquiry to FFS, interesting about Folie too, went down very well this season in VdI so that's a plus. The actual idea of staying in Meribel is disapproved by my husband at least and I have to say I am not a fan of Fulham-on-Snow either.
JohnE - perhaps not quite Ibiza but a little bit bonkers. We did go to St Anton a couple of seasons back and definitely it has potential but I can't find any ops at the moment with the childcare set up there other than Esprit.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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St.Anton... the horror... the horror... *hides in corner*
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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1. What, exactly, is "bonkers" apres?
2. I would expect that the non-family people would not want to be - a. paying the premium for and b. enjoying the "extras" of - staying in an Esprit chalet or hotel...
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always29, if you all want to be together, why not rent a big self catering apartment near the slopes? The saving over all going with Esprit would pay for a nanny, I bet - maybe a young member of the family, or a grandparent? In a big resort (e.g. Val d'Isere) there are plenty of "traiteurs" and restaurants so you don't need to cook for yourselves even if staying in.
I hope the 39 year old who wants "bonkers apres" isn't also the father of the 5 and 3 year old!
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| always29 wrote: |
JohnE - perhaps not quite Ibiza but a little bit bonkers. We did go to St Anton a couple of seasons back and definitely it has potential but I can't find any ops at the moment with the childcare set up there other than Esprit. |
Look for stuff Nasserein end of town. Someone else must do nannying or at least kids club. I'd have thought 3V and particularly Courchevel that week you might not want the sort of Russian New Year apres on offer.[/end gross stereotyping - never been]
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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under a new name, as it happens the idea of staying as a group actually appeals and friends are OK with joining us, in fact last year their chalet in Val d'Isere cost more than the Esprit hotel so it's not always the premium, esp low season. Apres - think Folie Douce and anything that keeps going to 2am, is the general idea I get.
pam w, self catering is out, I have suggested this. Additionally, the boys are used to nursery etc so a group child care environment would be OK for them, infact possibly better so they don't bicker! No, he's not - he's the total opposite!
Dave of the Marmottes, oh heck, Russian New Year, I'd totally forgotten about that.
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| pam w wrote: |
I hope the 39 year old who wants "bonkers apres" isn't also the father of the 5 and 3 year old! |
so what if he is? I imagine the grown ups are allowed to manage their own responsibilities 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The Jnrs are all my own work thankyouverymuch... well, always29 may have done some assembly stuff too.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Richard_Sideways,
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always29, Mark Warner also have a place with Childcare in St Anton, but I am 99% sure they are a Sunday change over as well. 
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You know it makes sense.
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Mark Warner are Sunday in St Anton. What sort of child care are you after, as ski school in St Anton will take the kids for the whole day, and there is a nanny service in resort for evening/après duties. Also guessing you are ruling out the Sunday transfers due to the Singapore based member of the group (correct me if I'm wring) but that doesn't have to necessarily be the case as they could fly from either Munich or Zurich, flight time permitting, back to Singapore and still be in time for work as both airports are only a couple of hours transfer from Austrian resorts.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Quote: |
Russian New Year, I'd totally forgotten about that.
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you'd not be aware of Russian new Year outside a few "big name resorts". At least, that's true in France - not sure of other areas.
always29, "self catering" is essentially shorthand for just renting your own place. doesn't mean you actually have to cook anything though I always like to be able to fix myself a cup of tea, a glass of cold wine or a beer from the fridge or a bit of baguette and cheese. And it's helpful with kids - annoying to pay restaurant prices for them to pick at a few bits or just stuff the chips down!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks for all the replies folks, problem solved by expat scrounging another day off work so we're off back to Val d'Isere with Esprit 
And thanks to my looking at Family Friendly Skiing we've also booked a relatively bargain of a trip to La Tania for the Easter school holidays so Sideways_Jnr doesn't miss another week of school in his first year. Now I just have to book transport to get there!
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